Iterate

Iterate

2) Iterate

image
Each workout is an experiment. Change one variable at a time.

The goal of deliberate progression is to intentionally make incremental improvements by iterating over a workout framework.

The deliberate progression protocol outlines a methodology for increasing training volume in an iterative manner.

  1. Create a workout framework
  2. Establish your Baseline
  3. Confirm your Baseline
  4. Iterate

By systematizing your fitness, all you have to do is put in the work. The system does the rest.

Deliberate Progression Protocol

Creating a Workout Framework

The workout framework forms the structure of your weekly routine.

The variables outlined in the workout framework will not change much week-to-week.

Consider a factory that produces progress. The framework would be the building and machinery. There is a lot of up front planning that goes into designing a factory, but once it’s up and running, you don’t do much to alter it. Changing the layout of the factory or making renovations to the building itself are costly and slow down production.

Once you've developed a workout framework, you should keep your workout framework static for at least several weeks, only changing one or two training variables at a time.

Training Variables

Training variables are interdependent; changes to one variable affect the other variables.

In order to ensure that the improvements made are due to actually getting stronger, training variables should be held constant except for the independent variable: training volume.

Within a framework, measurable improvements can be made by increasing the weight or reps of a given exercise. The accumulation of small improvements leads to progress.

The deliberate progression protocol defines an approach to the following training variables:

  • Volume—weight x sets x reps
  • Frequency—how many times per week you train each muscle group
  • Split--how you split your exercises between workouts
  • Exercise selection—which exercises you perform
  • Tempo—how long each rep takes to complete
  • Rest Intervals—time between sets
  • Duration—how long each training session lasts
  • Form—how each rep is performed
  • Intensity—proximity to failure

Variables are interdependent. Adjusting one variable can affect other variables.

Frequency, exercise selection, tempo, rest intervals, duration, and intensity will be defined by your framework. This framework provides the structure upon which you’ll improve and make progress using the deliberate progression protocol.

An in depth description and recommendation for each training variable can be found in Training Variables, but it is summarized here:

  • Choose Frequency (3,4,5,6 days/week)
  • Choose Split
  • Choose Exercises for each workout (strength + hypertrophy)
  • Choose number of sets per exercise (3-5)
  • Choose Intensity (RIR - 3,2,1, None)
  • Choose Rest intervals and rep tempo

Tracking Progress

Improvement occurs when you improve in weight, reps, or both.

If you increase the number of reps (thus increasing volume), you improve incrementally. If you increase the weight, you Level Up.

Incremental Improvement

Incremental improvement means improving in reps (and by extension, volume).

In deliberate progression, incremental improvement is most commonly achieved through weekly improvement in rep count.

If you do just one more rep per exercise, that is still incremental improvement. If you improve in each set by even a single rep week-to-week, you will see significant improvements in overall training volume over time.

For your hypertrophy sets, the rep range is typically 10-15 reps (although some exercises make sense to perform in the 8 rep range).

Therefore, incremental improvement in an exercise will increase reps from sets of ~10 to sets of ~15 at a given weight.

Once 3 sets of 15 reps can be performed at a given weight, you graduate to the next weight and Level Up.

Although increasing your repetitions is the easiest way to track progress because it's quantitative, you can also improve incrementally by adding sets, improving rep quality (increasing ROM or decreasing rep tempo), or shortening rest time.

However, because of the qualitative nature, these measures are best implemented once you're unable to improve incrementally in reps.

Leveling Up

Leveling up means improving in weight.

When you increase the weight, the number of reps you can do goes down, so the total volume usually goes down as well.

The standard level-up occurs when you can perform 3 sets of 15 reps on a given exercise.

Although leveling up can occur consecutive weeks, for most exercises, the weight increase on a level-up should be large enough that you need to progress via incremental improvement (reps) for several weeks until you're able to level up again.

Once you've leveled up, the number of reps (and volume) you can perform will likely go down. This is by design. Even if the total volume goes down, the capacity for total volume at the maximum of the rep range increases.

Week 0-1

Establish Baseline—Week 0

Your Week 0 workout is used to establish your baseline. It is where ‘weight discovery’ occurs.

The goal for week 0 is to find a weight that you can use to begin making improvements.

[!Tip] If you’re a beginner, you may be learning how to perform the movements at the same time, so it’s better to err on the lighter side.

Strength Module - Week 0

  1. Perform warm up sets
    1. Start with a weight much lighter than you think will be challenging
    2. Perform 10-15 repetitions
    3. Increase weight slightly
    4. Perform 8 repetitions
  2. Perform Set 1
    1. Start with a weight you think you can do 5 reps with ease.
    2. Perform 5 reps.
    3. Record your reps in reserve (RIR), the measure of perceived exertion.
    4. If your Set 1 RIR was > 3, increase the weight
  3. Perform Set 2
    1. Perform 5 reps
    2. Record RIR
    3. If your Set 2 RIR was > 3, increase the weight again
  4. Perform Set 3
    1. Perform repetitions until you reach 1 RIR (when you feel like you can only do one more)
    2. Record total reps

Hypertrophy Module - Week 0

  1. Perform Set 1
    1. Start with a weight you think you can do with ease.
    2. Perform 10 reps.
    3. Record your reps in reserve (RIR), the measure of perceived exertion.
    4. If your Set 1 RIR was ≥ 3, increase the weight.
  2. Perform Set 2
    1. Perform 10 reps
    2. Record RIR
    3. If your Set 2 RIR was ≥ 3, increase the weight again
  3. Perform Set 3
    1. Perform repetitions until you reach 1 RIR (when you feel like you can only do one more)
    2. Record total reps
  4. Record weight, reps, and RIR for all sets in your workout. Repeat for each workout in your framework.

Example Week 0

Confirm Baseline—Week 1

Your Week 1 workout is used to confirm your baseline.

The goal for Week 1 is to complete 3 sets at the weight determined by your Week 0 baseline.

Deliberate Progression Protocol - Week 1

  1. Begin with framework from Week 0
  2. Determine Week 1 Weight for each exercise
    1. Strength Module
      1. If Week 0 Set 3 reps < 8, set Week 1 weight to Week 0 Set 3 weight
      2. If Week 0 Set 3 reps ≥ 8, increase weight
    2. Hypertrophy Module
      1. If Week 0 Set 3 reps < 15, set Week 1 weight to Week 0 weight
      2. If Week 0 Set 3 reps ≥ 15, increase weight
  3. Set goal RIR for each exercise
    1. Beginner
      1. Set 1 - 3 RIR
      2. Set 2 - 2 RIR
      3. Set 3 - 1 RIR
    2. Advanced
      1. Set 1 - 2 RIR
      2. Set 2 - 1 RIR
      3. Set 3 - 0 RIR (form failure)
  4. Perform repetitions for each set until either:
    1. goal RIR is reached (3,2,1,None)
    2. reps exceed top end of desired rep range
      1. Strength (1-8 reps)
      2. Hypertrophy (10-15 reps)
  5. Adjust weights up or down if reps at goal RIR fall outside desired rep range

Example Week 1

Week 2+

Your workouts for Weeks 2+ are used to improve by increasing training volume.

The goal for Week 2+ is to complete more weight or reps than the previous week.

Deliberate Progression Protocol - Week 2+

  1. Begin with Framework from previous week
  2. Determine weight for each exercise
    1. Strength Module
      1. If Previous Week’s reps are ≤ 6 for each set, set Current Week weight to Previous Week weight
      2. If Previous Week’s reps ≥ 6, increase weight
    2. Hypertrophy Exercises
      1. If Previous Week’s reps < 15 for all three sets, set Current Week’s weight to Previous Week’s weight
      2. If Previous Week’s reps = 15 for some sets, set Current Week’s weight to Previous Week’s weight and attempt to perform 15 reps for all three sets.
      3. If Previous Week’s reps ≥ 15 for all three sets, increase weight for Current Week
  3. Set goal RIR for each exercise (same as previous week)
    1. Beginner
      1. Set 1 - 3 RIR
      2. Set 2 - 2 RIR
      3. Set 3 - 1 RIR
    2. Advanced
      1. Set 1 - 2 RIR
      2. Set 2 - 1 RIR
      3. Set 3 - 0 RIR (form failure)
  4. Perform repetitions for each set until:
    1. goal RIR is reached (3,2,1,None)
    2. reps exceed top end of desired rep range
      1. Strength (~6 reps)
      2. Hypertrophy (~15 reps)
  5. Adjust weights up or down if reps at goal RIR fall outside desired rep range

Iterate

Each week:

  • try to improve on last week's workout with incremental improvement (increasing in reps).
  • If you've maxed out your incremental improvement (3 sets of 15 reps), level up to the next weight.
  • If you've just leveled up an exercise (increased to a new weight), you have no reference for improvement, so simply fall back on your prescribed intensity (3,2,1 or None) for a weight you can move for sets of ~10 reps.

When You Get Stuck

It’s impossible to make linear improvement forever. At some point, you can’t increase the weight any more, you can’t increase your rep count without sacrificing form or range of motion, and you don’t have room to improve with more ‘quality’ reps (higher ROM or lower tempo).

There are no hard and fast rules for breaking through plateaus on an exercise, but the simplest way is to swap it out for an interchangeable exercise.

Learn how to change your workout framework in 3) Composability.

icon

Mirror Super

© Engineered Design Labs LLC